TWO CHARGED WITH CHEATING IN OVER RM2 MILLION LUXURY WATCH SALES

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 (Bernama) -- Two former assistant managers of a watch shop pleaded not guilty in two Sessions Courts and one Magistrate's Court, here, today, to five counts of cheating four individuals in the sale of luxury watches, worth more than RM2 million.

Before Sessions Court Judge Hamidah Mohamed Deril, the accused, Miki Oshiro, 35, and Yap Choon Han, 41, were jointly charged with cheating a 28-year-old Singaporean man by deceiving him that they could arrange the sale of 22 units of designer watches, with a selling price of RM955,600.

The act prompted the victim to make payments totalling RM955,600 to 10 different accounts, directed by the two accused, at a watch shop in a shopping mall here on Dec 15, 2024.

The two local men were also charged with deceiving a 60-year-old woman, involving the purchase of 41 Rolex watches, prompting the victim to make payments, totalling RM654,000 through 21 transactions, into two bank accounts belonging to the two accused, at the same location on Dec 23, 2024.

Meanwhile, before another Sessions Court Judge Azrul Darus, both men were accused of cheating a 40-year-old man in the purchase of a luxury Patek Phillipe watch, worth RM360,000, prompting the victim to make payments of RM160,000 to the two accused, at a condominium in Sentul, between Nov 1 and 6, 2024.

Both men were also charged with cheating the same victim, a Singaporean man, in the purchase of 22 Rolex watches, worth RM658,600, prompting the victim to make payments of RM658,600 into three bank accounts, which the victim would not have handed over if he had not been deceived, at the same watch shop, on Dec 15, 2024.

Elsewhere, before Magistrate Aina Azahra Arifin, both men were accused of cheating a 41-year-old woman in the purchase of a Rolex watch, worth RM47,600, prompting the victim to make a payment of RM47,600 in cash, by hand delivery to them at the same location (watch shop) on Dec 1, 2024.

All charges were framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same law, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of up to 10 years with whipping, and also liable to a fine, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutors Raihanah Abd Razak, Muhammad Amir Haniff Ahijman and Hench Goh, appeared for the prosecution, while Miki was represented by lawyer Datuk P. M. Nagarajan and Yap was represented by lawyer Sharifah Alawiah Syed Alwee.

Each accused was allowed a total bail of RM66,000 in one surety for all charges.

The three courts fixed April 15 for mention.

-- BERNAMA